An engineering degree or a teaching degree? Both!

Students have a unique opportunity to combine two things: their passion for technology and their enthusiasm for sharing that passion with young people. The Engineering pedagogy degree programme brings these two career paths together and opens up a wide range of career opportunities whilst offering the greatest possible flexibility.

In addition to Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, two other Saxon universities of applied sciences are collaborating with TU Dresden on this programme, each specialising in the disciplines in which they excel. At Mittweida, for example, Mechanical Engineering, electrical and information technology, and physics can be combined with education across a range of specialisms.

At the Night of Sciences (Nacht der Wissenschaften) at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences on 31 May, from 6 pm to midnight, information on the degree programme will be available in the 3D Printing laboratory in Building 7, Room 104 – and exciting insights into research, teaching and practical projects (not only) in the engineering sciences will be on offer throughout the campus.

A degree – a wide range of career opportunities! Saxony is breaking new ground in the training of skilled workers: Engineering pedagogy combines engineering studies with educational content and, over six or seven semesters, qualifies graduates to work as engineers in the technical sector as well as in technical education and further training. After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering, students have the option of entering a higher semester of the teacher training programme at TU Dresden directly and subsequently sitting the state examination to become a teacher at vocational schools. Upon completion of the subsequent preparatory service and the second state examination, graduates can be appointed as civil servant teachers in the Saxon civil service. Through the SchulAQ programme (School Assistant in Training), students can be employed in the Saxon school system whilst completing their further teacher training after obtaining their Bachelor’s degree.

Professor Jörg Matthes, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences: “Studying engineering pedagogy at a University of Applied Sciences offers students a unique opportunity to combine two things: their passion for technology and their enthusiasm for sharing that passion with young people. They undertake practice-oriented studies in technical subjects whilst simultaneously learning the fundamentals of knowledge transfer. By combining a sound technical education with teaching skills, our graduates are ideally prepared to train the next generation of skilled workers and technicians as dedicated engineering educators. At the same time, a genuine engineering degree opens up both direct entry into industry and a wide range of career paths in academia and the education sector.”

The Engineering pedagogy degree programme is also aimed at skilled workers in the technical sector with professional experience who do not hold a university entrance qualification but wish to further their professional development. The programme offers skilled workers with technical training the opportunity to gain further qualifications and to progress to higher pay bands.

Sebastian Gemkow, Minister for Science, says: “The Engineering pedagogy programme is a further building block in the Free State’s strategy to address the shortage of skilled workers in essential sectors. Teachers at vocational schools and technical professionals will be urgently needed throughout Saxony in the coming years. By combining these two areas of training, prospective students do not have to decide from the outset on one career path or the other. This gives students a great deal of flexibility whilst ensuring they are highly qualified.”